High pressure cylinders and containers, filled with different types of gases and liquids, are used for a variety of purposes. Cylinders can contain pressurized nitrogen, oxygen, helium, carbon dioxide or acetylene. Such tanks include welding cylinders, nitrous cylinders, scuba air tanks, laser machine cylinders, propane tanks, oxygen cylinders for medical uses, fire extinguishers, balloon tanks, and paintball gun cylinders. The gases and/or liquids are highly pressurized, in some cases up to 3200 psi. The tanks have manual outlet valves which regulate the flow of the pressurized gas/liquid and which close it off completely, as needed.
However, an ever-present danger exists if cylinders are improperly handled during storage, handling, shipping or use: if the manual outlet valve breaks off, is damaged, or otherwise malfunctions, the rapid escape of high pressure from the cylinder can have a torpedo effect, causing the cylinder to turn into a missile, leading to property damage and injuries, even fatalities, to bystanders. Even if the cylinder does not immediately become a rocket, no one would want to be the person who opens the damaged outlet valve in order to release the pressurized gas remaining in a cylinder with a damaged valve.